Draco Malfoy & the Broken Heart
by Resentment
Summary: Armaniska Kensington must leave Draco Malfoy to go into hiding with her father, but she runs into a problem when she finds out that she is having Draco's baby. What else can go wrong? Plenty, especially when she returns to find that Draco has moved on.
1. Prelude

**A/N: What's a new story mean? I'm finishing another one. So be sure to read the prelude to this story and than head on over to see if I've posted on Masquerade or not.**

* * *

_**Draco Malfoy & The Broken Heart**_

Prelude

"How in the hell is this even possible?" Mr. Kensington said, pacing the floor of his second floor apartment. He'd been there for only two months and already it smelled of stale fish and chips. His favorite meal.

Armaniska Kensington glanced around the apartment, use to the smell, and turned back to her father. She'd give anything not to have to answer her father's question. Especially that one.

"Well there is a process, but i'm sure you already know that." Armaniska said a lot more calmly than she felt. Something about his uneasyness was giving her confidence.

"Don't be smart with me girl! Do you understand what this means? What it could lead to? We'll obviously have to get you to a healer soon to have you looked at. Merlin knows where there is one here." Mr.Kensington had stopped pacing the floor and stared at his daughter. "Are you absolutely sure you're-"

"Positive, dad. The little muggle test, and the magical one comfirmed it."

* * *

Every time he glanced her way, his heart raced, his adrenaline pumped so hard he thought he might burst right where he was. Every moment he had uncontrollable urges to touch her, run his hands through her hair, and whisk her away to some far off place where it would just be him and her alone. 

Malfoy's never loose control, or at least that's what Draco had to keep telling himself. He had planned to bump into his girlfriend that day and ask to have a word with her outside at the Quidditch Pitch. There was an extremely important question he had to ask her. It wasn't too odd that she didn't come to lunch that day, but he had never seen her miss a dinner before. Even if she wasn't hungry she still showed, for his sake. So, half way through dinner, when she still hadn't made an appearance, Draco went searching for her. She wasn't in detention, that much he knew. All the teachers had showed up to eat, even Madame Pomfrey, and the library was closed during dinner. So he checked the only other possible place. Her dorm. To his great relief, that's where she was. Tears reddened her face, and she was shoving all of her clothes into her trunk in a frantic frenzy.

"Wha- what are you doing?" Draco asked a bit taken back by her actions. If he didn't know better, he'd say that she was setting up to leave Hogwarts.

"I have to go, Draco." She said without turning around to face him. " I can't stay any more. I...have to go." She slammed the lid shut on her trunk and put her face in her hands. She started to mumble incoherently as she did so and Draco kneeled down behind her and took her in his arms. She turned to him, then, resting her face in the nook of his shoulder.

"Where?" Draco mumbled softly as he stroked her hair.

" I don't know. I can't...Merlin, I'm so... I don't know how to put this." She started shaking, obviously scared of something.

"I'm here, don't worry." Draco tried to keep her steady, but she seemed so disturbed by something that she couldn't keep from sobbing. Her breath was coming in gasps between each sob, and she was clinging to him so hard, he thought that he might be crushed by her grip. Then without warning, she let go. In an instant, cold air filled the space between them, and she was pulling her trunk towards the door.

"Wait," Draco mumbled, but she didn't stop.

"I can't. I have to go. He's waiting."

"Who-?"

"Draco stop asking stupid questions! I can't stay here anymore. I'm sorry, but we have to break up, and I...I have to leave here... Forever." She'd stopped in front of the door of her soon to be ex-room and stared back at him. His face took on a look of shock, and immediately it turned to stone. Not a single thought could be read on his features.

"I wish I could tell you everything." She mumbled to him, and dissappeared.

If Draco hadn't been so angered by this moment, he would have heard the sobs that echoed all through the Slytherin Common rooms.

* * *

Her pain had echoed off many walls that night, and many more nights after. After all, leaving and being left by the one you love can be a devastating occurance in any persons life. Especially when you find out you are on the run with their child growing inside of you. 


	2. The Return

A/N: Well, the final two chapters are now on my sisters computer, and complete for Masquerade. Seeing as I haven't been to her house in a while (her roommate is being a pain), I probably will just be a slave to my plot bunnies and start producing chapters to my new stories. ENJOY!

* * *

Chapter 1

There was a second or two of silence as Draco Malfoy descended his staircase to greet the incoming visitors to Malfoy Manor. According to his father, a friend of the family was coming to visit. Like he really cared. All he had to do was be nice to the guy, and then go back to his free time over break. Time he appreciated, seeing as he only had a week left of Winter Holiday away from Hogwarts. Besides, the guy was probably just some other Death Eater. By the time he got downstairs, the front door had already been open by a house elf to reveal an older man standing between two identical suitcases and a trunk. The trunk Draco had seen before. His eyes must have been playing with him, but he could have sworn that he just saw his ex-girlfriend's head appear behind the man in the door way. Though, this was impossible as the girl hadn't been seen for over three months. Why would she show up now?

"Sir," Draco said as he extended a hand to the man, and shook it. "My father should be down in a moment." He directed the man towards the family room and turned back to say something to his house elf when he noticed the girl in the doorway. "Holy-"

"Draco, watch your language in front of ladies. It's not good manners." Mr. Malfoy appeared behind his son, and gave a wide grin to the girl. "Armaniska! Lovely to have you over again. It's been so long." Draco was about to have an aneurism as he stared at his ex-girlfriend standing right in front of him.

"Ar..." Draco mumbled but no one seemed to hear.

"Thank you for inviting me once again, sir. Especially considering the situation at hand." Armani allowed Mr. Malfoy to take her into the family room where she sat along side her father.

"Again? Surely she's not staying here." Draco said, coming out of his daze, to his father as the two walked into the other room.

"Of course she is. This is the 'friend of the family' I spoke to you about staying with us. That is, until she returns with you to Hogwarts." Mr. Malfoy was giving his son the evil eye, and Draco took this moment to nod in agreement and shut the hell up. "Your daughter is always invited." Lucius said turning to Armaniska's father.

"Well, the favor is much appreciated, Lucius. As it's been quite hard finding us a place again after our little trip. We've been staying at The Leaky Cauldron the last couple of days, and I'm afraid my Armani has not being feeling comfortable in such conditions." Mr. Kensington gave his daughter a small wink and turned to Lucius. "Ah hem, now Lucius. I believe we have some business to discuss concerning a few things." The wording was cryptic, but everyone in the room seem to understand what he meant.

"Yes, uh, Draco. Why don't you take Armani up to the room the house elves have set up for her. Get her settled?" It was a demand and not a question.

"Yes, sir." Draco stood and turned away from the room, leading Armani up the steps.

Armani suddenly understood what people meant when they said that silence was deafening. As the two took the stairs and hallway to her room, neither spoke a single word.

It didn't seem to be bothering Draco like it was her.

"Your room is up the stairs to the left of the right side, eight doors down. Mine will be right across from yours if you need anything. Which means don't bother me." Draco said the words a little harshly and turned to go into his room.

"Draco, wait." Her voice must have sounded so innocent to him, but she didn't care. He stopped. "We need to talk."

"Funny thing is, we don't." Draco shot back and leaned against his door frame, arms crossed.

"Look, you can keep up this stupid Draco Malfoy macho crap or you can just come out and call me a bitch so we can actually go on like civilized people. Or semi-civilized people anyways." Armani spat and crossed her arms to mimic his appearance.

"Trust me, bitch isn't the only name I can think of at this point." Draco glared at her, refusing to look away. It was taking all his self control not to shove her against the wall and take out three months aggression on her lips with his own. It almost seemed like a good idea to get her to shut up at the moment as well.

"...Draco, are you even listening to me?" Apparently he had gone on some tangent in his mind and had missed whatever Armani had just said. She couldn't blame him. She was currently letting a memory of the bedroom behind the door he was leaning on, play in her mind. One memory she almost regrets.

"Nope, tuned you out a couple of minutes ago." Draco answered honestly and shifted his weight. Armani stepped closer to him and shoved him with one hand against his own door.

"I'm trying to give you some form of apology Malfoy, the least you can do is listen." But neither was paying attention to what she was saying, as the sudden distance was closed between them. Her eyes went straight to his, and she started to lean into him. She could smell the musky cologne he usually wore, and she felt like she was going to collapse on the spot, he legs were shaking so much.

Then a sudden popping noise broke the two apart.

"Sorry to interrupt Mister and Misses, but the girl's father is requesting you's to say good-bye." Just as quickly as she came, the House Elf was gone.

Armani could not believe what she was about to do. She gave a quick glance to Draco and then headed down the steps to see her father's departure.

"Bye Dad." Armani said as she gave her father a strong gripping hug. She had a million and one things she wanted to say to him, but she could feel Lucius and Draco's presence still in the room and decided to let the hug tell all.

"I've already written and had a talk with Dumbledore and Professor Snape, so your situations with missing classes, schoolwork, and everything else won't be a problem." Her father said before giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. He nodded to the other two men and headed out the door with out saying anything else.

"I'm sure you won't have any problems with catching up, Armaniska. Draco here tells me you rival the classes top student." It was obvious Lucius was hopping around the fact that the top student was a muggleborn and Draco hadn't the grades to do much more than pass at above average, let alone rival the top student.

"I'm sure." Armani said, and faked a yawn. "Well, good night to both of you then."

Lucky for Armani, Draco didn't have an oppurtunity to confront her on their earlier activity, because his mind was trying to figure out why her father had given such a mysterious farewell. It was obvious to him that Mr. Kensington meant she would be missing future classes and not past ones. But why?


	3. Not so Truthy

A/n: Two in one day! I think that's a record for me. Err, well. I guess it's kind of cheating since I already had one done. But oh well! Enjoy this chapter because it maybe a little while before the next one is up. Sorry's! But if you overload my e-mail with reviews I may have to update. Hint hint, wink wink, nudge nudge, kiss kiss...well maybe not that last one. Oh gawd! I'm giddy. Okay, go read the chapter now while I calm myself down again. & xD

* * *

Draco Malfoy & The Broken Heart

It is a known fact, to anyone who has ever been inside Malfoy Manor, that getting lost in it's hallways is not hard. So for two days Armani used this to her advantage until she could build up the courage to speak to Draco without falling under his spell. She needed her mind clear when she told Draco the truth. The truth about everything. Of course she would also have to be outside the house when she told him, incase his father had some way of hearing what she wanted to discuss.

With a borrowed green cloak that was suspiciously warmer than usual, Armani sat in clear sight from Draco's window in a patch of snow that she assumed was once a flower bed. There was something calm about winter that she loved, and hated the thought that she would have to return to school the following Monday. School always made the season's pass by so quickly.

It took nearly an hour for Draco to find her outside, and when he did, he seemed to be more sullen than usual. As Armani turned to look at Draco's appearing form, Draco took this moment to speak up, and get his thoughts out first.

"What have _you_ been up to?" To an outside observer, the question would have been a calm everyday kind of question, but Armani knew better. She had heard the subtle tone that Draco called his sarcastic wit.

"Taking time to myself," Armani bit back. She hadn't meant to start off aggressive, but if he wanted a fight, she wasn't going to back down. They both knew that they needed to have it out once and for all. "Or is that not allowed here?"

"Oh no, absolutely nothing against hiding from a resident, other than that it's rude of course, but one would assume you'd have at least eaten in the dining room with the rest of my family. After all, the excuse that you aren't feeling well doesn't seem to be working on my parents anymore. They think you're avoiding them, and won't be convinced otherwise." Armani was confused from this statement. Wasn't this about the two of them, not his parents.

"How did you turn this to be a conversation about your parents?"

Draco gave her a look of disapproval before turning back to look at the house. Armani desperately wanted to tell him then everything on her mind, but how do you tell someone you haven't seen in months that you're having his child.

"I was betrothed." Armani suddenly blurted out. She definitely didn't see why she had to tell Draco that, but she was shamefully glad she didn't say she was pregnant. Draco spun around again to face her. His eyes scanned hers mercifully as to what she meant.

"To a German boy. I didn't even know it till I was twelve. I think his name is Burlap or Burlaugh." There was a long silence between them before Draco spoke. His eyes followed the path of the trees in the distance.

"Armaniska Burlap." Draco tried out like a fourteen-year-old girl who had just fallen in love for the first time. Armani smiled a bit as she stared up at him.

"It didn't work out though, a year after we were born his parents went into hiding from Voldemort. I'm no longer tied to him though. Thankfully." Armani wasn't sure where she was going with this.

"Well, I guess that's good considering last summer." Draco murmured. His eyes had fallen on hers and some magnetic force was pulling them closer.

"I like the sound of Armaniska Malfoy better, anyway." At this statement Draco raised his hand to push an invisible hair out of Armani's eyes.

His warm hand on her pale cheek sent unneeded chills down her spine. She missed his touch, his smell, even the odd way he furrowed his brow when reading. If she had it her way she would have had the courage to spill her secrets right than and there, but she couldn't do it. She couldn't ruin the moment by pushing him away with her words. So instead she stepped closer and lifted her chin to his where she planted a soft kiss. The tenderness didn't last long between them as Draco's hand moved from her cheek to her neck and he pulled her in closer to him. The snow may have started falling around them, but neither of the two would be able to recall this when thinking back to it later.

The next morning Draco was back to his normal self again. Any sign that he felt the same way as he had the night before was gone. He had barely even glanced at her when she passed him on the way to the bathroom for a shower. Did last nights kiss mean nothing to him?

There was a knock on her door.

"Come in." Armani called as she turned the page of the book she was reading.

"I just thought I'd forewarn you." Draco stated and stopped upon noticing what she was reading."Fairy Tales?"

"I was bored, and I hadn't read them in a while. Don't change the subject. You were forewarning me about something." She crossed her arms to make sure she gave the full effect that she could give the cold shoulder just as well as he could. He shook his head.

"I suggest you play ill today. My mother is convinced of catching you walking around with a healthy skip in your step and if you keep insisting on avoiding them, you might want to lay low." Draco seemed to find a finality in his words and walked out the room.

Armani seemed to find this news odd. From what she knew of Draco's family, his mother never really left her drawing room, and his father was never home. So what would suddenly have his mother on her tail?

The door bell rang downstairs, and Armani had a feeling that the visitor had something to do with her sudden imprisonment in her room. Glancing down the hall to make sure it was clear, Armani snuck out to the banister to see if she could recognize the guest. Surprisingly, she did.

Pansy Parkinson had come to visit, and she seemed to have brought Draco the gift of tongue.


	4. So Good To Be Back

A/N: Oh my has it been forever! 6 months? Geez, where have I been? Thank you to the few who have been adding my story to Fav. or Alert lists, the e-mails have encouraged me to get the chapter up here, even though they're not direct requests for my story, they still mean your reading! I hope you all enjoy, and expect another new chapter up in a much shorter amount of time than the last. The title of this chapter is now a double meaning.

* * *

It's So Good To Be Back

The second Armani had stepped out onto the platform; mumbling and gossiping had begun to rise over the noise of the train. _Oh joy_, she thought. She reached into her cloak pocket and grasped her wand with a longing urge to use it and turn the little whore's into Platypuses. Somehow, Draco standing next to her suddenly calmed her down or, at least, it made her forget about the chattering. Armani turned to him with a raised eyebrow.

"Not sitting with your precious Parkinson?" She asked him with anger seething through her every word. He gave her a side glance, taking in her whole outfit, and turned away to answer her. Armani's anger flamed even more and she tried to hold back the rage burning inside of her.

_Did he just give me the brush-off look?_ She wondered.

"She's asked to sit with her friends on the trip up." Draco said as if it was no big deal. "I'm going to be sitting with Blaise while she runs off with them." He nodded over to his dark-skinned friend, and Armani rolled her eyes.

"Well, the trip up should be fun then, Blaise had invited me to sit with him in his apartment as well." She cringed at the thought of having to sit in the same compartment with Draco. She had to shove thoughts of him and Pansy into the back of her mine before she completely broke down, again, on the platform.

People were starting to board, and Armani stood stock still trying not to notice how Draco was glancing across the room at Pansy, and how she was smiling back at his attempts.

_I'm going to throw up, again_, she thought while standing there. She held back the urge and ran up into the train without thinking to follow Blaise to where ever he was going. It was kind of nice to know that even though some things had changed between her and Draco, Blaise was still his same self. He still kept alarmingly quiet unless he had something of crucial importance to say. In other words, he was good at avoiding the awkward, obvious, and ridiculous questions that other people seemed to think were just fine to ask at any given moment.

She heard a commotion outside the door of the compartment, but ignored it as much as possible and instead stretched her legs out over her side of the little room, and leaned her back up against the window to the outside hallway. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Blaise glancing at the quarreling couple outside, and then he looked over at her. Was he trying to say something or give a hint?

"Oh, for the love of God, the quarreling couple is Draco and Pansy, isn't it?" She asked Blaise with a look.

"What do you mean it's no big deal?" Pansy's irritating voice screeched through the hall, and a lot of people were leaning out of there own rooms to watch what was going on. "You are not bloody spending the trip up to Hogwarts alone in a compartment with your ex-girlfriend!" Armani sat up a little straighter to try and hear Draco's answer, but his voice was so deep and low that it was hard to pick up between the windows.

"But!" She heard Pansy try desperately, but was cut off by whatever Draco was saying. Blaise seemed to be able to hear it, as he was grinning from ear to ear.

"What's he saying?" Armani asked him.

"He's defending you, and... when did you two break-up?" That was weird of Blaise to ask, as that was one of the obvious questions he usually avoided.

"Well, some time after the whole fight right before I 'disappeared'-" Armani said giving Blaise a confused look. He cleared his throat to stop her from going further. She was glad for it. The fight had been between Blaise and Armani, not her and Draco, about leaving Hogwarts forever with her father. Surprisingly Blaise thought the school would be safer for her. She was starting to think he was probably right.

"I actually meant why, because Draco is playing "hurt kitten" with Pansy. Has been for about two months now." Blaise said coolly, and Armani wanted to pelt him over the head with the magazine in her hand.

"I really didn't need to know that. Thank you for even more visuals than I already get live. Now I'll never be able to stop picturing them-" She made a gagging motion, and Blaise didn't hold back his laugh. He cut himself short as he looked out into the hall, and then made himself look like he was engrossed in the scenery outside the window. Armani took his hint, and pulled the magazine up to her face. She almost laughed as Draco slammed the door to the compartment, making her jump away from the window before leaning back into it again. Blaise must have cracked a smile too, because Draco noticed.

"It's not bloody funny, Zabini." Draco commented and settled in beside his friend.

"Of course," Blaise said and went back to his passive look. Armani couldn't help the sudden wanting to speak up, but she wasn't sure how to word it. She went for it anyways.

"Would you look at that?" She said sitting forward, and splaying the magazine open over the seat next to her. She leaned towards it as If she was still engrossed in it. "According to this magazine, guys are more likely to date psychos on the rebound! Who'd of thought?" She said looking up at both boys with a wide smile. Draco didn't seem to get the joke, but Blaise was laughing like a mad man.

"She's only acting psycho because you're back!" Draco said, and the compartment seemed to become eerily quiet as he ranted. "She was perfectly content knowing that you'd gone, and were never coming back. We both were. It would have been much better if you just stayed...where ever the hell you went!" Draco boomed through the compartment, and Armani feel into a state of shock. Was he really completely over her, enough so to actually mean what he was saying? She could feel the air get caught again in her throat, and her legs moved out from under her. She was running again. She hoped she didn't scream this time. She needed to get out of the compartment. She knew she heard herself mumble something about needing air before she got out of the room as fast as she could, and just as the door was about to close she heard Blaise call a 'good going' to Draco. Armani was on the verge of tears, and breaking down right in the middle of the hallway when someone's voice caught her attention.

"Armani?" She heard an old voice call, and turned to see August giving her a questioning look. Apparently, she looked enough like herself for August to recognize her, because she ran up and engulfed Armani in a hug. It was enough for Armani to remember her senses and hug her back.

_Holy crap! It's August! I hadn't seen my best friend in months! I hadn't heard a word, I didn't even know if she was all right. Though, I was still a bit iffy on my own thoughts. Was I really that happy to see her? Or happy for the distraction from what just happen to Draco?_ Armani wondered as she hugged her friend.

It didn't matter either way; Armani forced all thoughts of Draco away, and walked off with August to her compartment.

!

Only, Armani didn't shove Draco to the back of her mind. Instead, she happened to bring him up in the conversation and started explaining everything she'd been going through since she'd come back. Not quite including everything, she sort of left out how she was pregnant.

"No!" August said as Armani told her the little bit of conversation she'd had with Draco in the compartment. She laughed at it like Blaise had done, but Armani was not too happy about the whole situation. Instead, Armani kind of shrugged off the laughter and focused on petting August's cat, Merrill. August seemed to notice her depression and tried to clam her down. "Oh come on Armani, you two were like the perfect couple. This is just his little grudge match with you. He still hasn't quite forgiven you for leaving, and he probably won't for a while. Then one day he will, and everything will be find, and you two we'll be top couple once again."

Armani nodded at her words, knowing them to be true, but she just couldn't quite get rid of the feeling that it was never going to be that way again." I just wish he wasn't with Pansy." Armani mumbled and August seemed to suddenly decide to change subjects, and honestly, Armani couldn't blame her.

"So, anyways. Where'd you go? How was your vacation? You look like you're doing well. Well fed and everything." Armani was just about to answer her questions with 'I can't tell you' when she caught her off-guard with the last comment. Was she trying to say Armani looked fat?

"Are you calling me fat?" Armani asked on the defense. August laughed.

"No you just look like my mom did when...Ar, Are you Pregnant?" Armani looked like she had been hit by a train.

"Why would you ask that?" Armani said, her voice a little higher then normal, and she could tell by her features that she took that as a 'yes'.

"You look like my mom did when she had June. She got fuller in the face, and then her stomach grew. Well, you're stomach hasn't grown yet, but your face. It's definitely filled out. Even though, I didn't really know faces could fill out. But that's not the point. You're pregnant! Why didn't you tell me? Is that why you left? Is it Draco's?" Armani's own father didn't ask so many questions. Not at first, anyway.

"I haven't seen you for three months, No it's not why I left, and yes." Armani finished and August looked to be trying to figure out what the yes was an answer to.

"Wait, so it's Draco's then?" August asked again with a wide smile, it was obvious she already knew the answer.

"Yes," Armani said and tried as best as she could to avoid her look.

"Oh...Oh my God, Ar. That's why you're so angry at the whole Draco/Pansy thing. I'm surprised you wouldn't kill at this point. My mom was insane when she was pregnant. She would be crying one minute, and then laughing at how stupid she was for crying the next. It was quite eerie actually." August noticed Armani getting silent again, and tried to avoid anymore talk of pregnancy.

The two became quiet then letting the silence fill the room pleasantly.

A while later Armani had found herself walking nonchalantly through Malfoy Manor as she continued to try to keep an ignorance to something going on in another room of the house. She hadn't seen where the other two had gone, but she was sure Draco and Pansy were in his room. She doubted they were exchanging Christmas presents, or even worse, they were.

She covered her ears then, and hoped she could shake the thought out of her head.

The room in front of her seemed to be changing, it had gone from a kitchen to a family room before her eyes, but for some reason, that didn't seem odd to Armani. It seemed to happen to her a lot.

There they were, sitting on the couch, making out right in front of her. Armani tried to scream, but nothing came out. So instead, she ran from the room, only to find she was unable to run down the stairs that had suddenly appeared due to some bad architecture. She turned around to try another way, but was caught off balance on the edge of the stairs. She went tumbling backwards.

Armani woke with a start to see that the scenery out the compartment window was no longer clear to see. It was now dark, and Hogwarts was only a few minutes away. Across from her, August and Merrill were a sleep like she had been.

She stretched and cleared the dream from her thoughts. She would worry about relationships on another day.


	5. Trouble Among Friends

Trouble Among Friends

"For the love of Merlin, Ar. Stop for two seconds and listen to my-" but August was interrupted by her friend once again. Armani hadn't been back from her little disappearing act more than a month, but she was already starting to get on August's nerves.

"She is repulsive, and conniving, with a splash of loathing." Armani said as she paced back and forth through the room. It only made August's anger rise more.

"Shaken or stirred?" August asked with dry humor. Armani rolled her eyes at her and dropped carelessly onto her bed.

"She only does it to piss me off, and Draco; he just plays along like he's the innocent party. What does he see in her?" Armani asked rhetorically.

"Speaking of seeing someone . . ." August started but was cut off again.

"That little rat fink. I'm serious, and I can't just prance around like nothing's wrong anymore. I have to stop this somehow." Armani had laid back and covered her face.

"Well, then talk to him." August suggested.

Armani sat bolt right up, and looked to her friend.

"Do you think I should? Do you think he'll listen?" Armani's interest in her friends words peaked and she looked like she was clinging on to hear her answer.

"Before I tell you, will you listen to my news?"

Armani nodded feverishly. "Of course."

"I'm going out with Maven Buck!" August announced, like she had been holding it in forever. Armani tried not to let her disgust show on her face. From what she knew of the boy, he was really into himself, and kind of a pain in the ass.

"Oh, how great for you?" Armani forced a smile, and her friend seemed to think that her reaction was spot on.

"I know. I couldn't believe he'd ask me out. I mean, to Hogsmeade, and everything. We're going to hang out together this Saturday." She said it with a sigh, and Armani tried not to feel bad for the girl. She'd been very down about not seeing anyone since Armani had returned, and the only thing Armani could think was that August wasn't really as into him as she thought. She was only really dating him, because deep down she was sick of being the only single girl at Hogwarts, with the exception of Armani.

"But anyways, Ar. Yes, I really do think that Draco would listen to you. I mean he doesn't really like Pansy. He's only with her to piss you off. You just need to show him what he's missing." August sounded so noble at the moment with her sudden words of wisdom.

"But how?" Armani asked.

"Oh, I have an idea."

~!~

_I'm not going to lie to you. August's idea was a little bit bizarre. If everything went to plan, she was going to get Draco outside and away from Pansy where I was suppose to ask him if I could talk to him. From there it was all up to me apparently. The only little detail she wouldn't tell me was __how __she was going to get him outside. I was just picturing him being chased out by a giant penguin, when I heard two voices coming toward me. August's and Draco's apparently. _

"Stop being such a. . . . A pansy and go out there and talk to her while I distract . . . Pansy." I heard August say, and I put a hand over my face. This was not good.

"Ow, will you let go of my ear, you crazy wench." Draco's voice was its usual low tone, and I straightened at hearing it.

"Draco?" I said calmly, and upon seeing me, Draco stopped his whining and looked up at me. With a smug look on her face, I saw August kick the boy, and then run back toward the castle calling Pansy's name. Oh no . . .

"Kensington, what in the name of Merlin is your bloody friend trying to do?" Draco asked obviously a bit peeved as he rubbed his knee.

"I just asked her a favor." I try and say, but find myself feeling very weak suddenly. This was very unlike me. Usually I would be amazingly strong at these moments, and astute. Not at all nervous or . . . faint. My emotions were a wreck, and all I could picture was what Draco and Pansy did when no one was around. God! What was wrong with me?

Oh, I was pregnant, right.

"Well, if you'd mind getting on with it, I have a slight feeling I'm going to have to stop your ludicrous friend from doing something stupid. Something to Pansy." Draco had crossed his arms and sat on a nearby bench. It seemed like a good idea at the moment to join him.

"That's actually why I sought to bring you out here." I started as I hugged my coat tight. Then I noticed my bump was sticking out a bit from my jacket, and quickly hid it from sight. As far as anyone knew, I was just gaining a little weight.

"Sought to? I was dragged out here by my ass, literally." It was all I could do, not to laugh.

"It's not bloody funny. I think she might have pulled my ear off at one point. And now she's screwing around inside looking for Pansy. Merlin knows what she's planning on doing to her." He was rubbing his ear like he wasn't sure if it really was there and then glancing up at the school. I rolled my eyes at his irritation. All this effort and I didn't feel like talking to him anymore. I just wanted to get back to some homework that I could throw myself into. I shook my head at his further ranting and made to leave.

"Just go back and find . . ." I stopped myself from saying Pansy's name. I couldn't do it. Not now that I was finally getting a word in edgewise."No, I have to know." I said more to myself.

Draco raised an eyebrow at me questioningly.

"Why in the hell are you with her?" The words sounded a lot calmer then I felt. So calm I wasn't sure I had really said them, but Draco seemed to be expecting this from me.

"I'm not with her to piss you off, or get back at you. I actually do like her." Draco admitted. I felt a need to gag." When you left, I was a wreck. I stopped eating; going to classes, I even had to take Sleepless Drought at night. Pansy . . . brought me back. She made me Draco again."

"She made you her servant boy." I mouthed off, and stood up from the bench. Listening to him talk about Pansy like she's a saint, was making my innards queasy and hurt at the same time. The feeling was even worse than the morning sickness I was getting,

"Excuse me?" Draco asked not liking my words.

"You are, you're her little "carry my books" boy. She didn't "make you Draco again." She sculpted her own pushover boyfriend and you just pranced along with her like your ignorance would forever give you bliss. You went with her, because you had nothing else going for you!" Some warning in the back of my head was going off, but I kept going. "My Draco was smarter than that; he would have never even glanced at the scum that is Parkinson. He would have attempted to stop me or . . . gone after me, or something. He would have been at least a little happy to see me come back. Not fear it. Not crumbling on the ground and crawling to Pansy." I was getting disturbed by my own words, and I was feeling rather irked and at the same time I just wanted to shut up and be held in his arms again.

"Me, crawling back?" Draco said shaking his head at me. "I tried searching for you, I asked anyone and everyone who knew you if they knew anything. I thought of leaving school to go look for you . . . I . . . stopped myself. I decided that if you wanted this big secret to stay one, because obviously it wasn't that you were betrothed, because you lied about that, and you didn't even trust in me with the truth, then it was pointless to try and stop you. You certainly didn't want me to know. So I wasn't going to try and find out, but I couldn't get you out of my head till Pansy came along. Then you come back and expect everything to be the same as you left? Everyone to be peachy with you like nothing happened? Like you didn't even disappear? And here you are. Boyfriend-less, trying to crawl back to me? Trying to convince me that I'm a slave boy, and I'm being taken advantage of? If anything, anyone, ever tried to take advantage of me, it was you. Instead of letting our shit-hole of a relationship die, you try and break up Pansy and I. And you know why? Because you're just a sad jealous little girl who doesn't know when to give up." Draco stormed off at his final word leaving me behind in a bit of shock.

When I finally realized I was still standing outside, I turned and quickly headed back in. It was weird. So many emotions were flowing through my veins, and at the moment, I wasn't really sure what to do. In the back of my mind I remembered August mentioning something about how her mother said that pregnant women have no control over their emotions, ever. I assumed that was all that was wrong with me as I headed into the Entrance Hall. That, and that I'm going to have someone's kid, and that they'll probably never know of it.

"Was that you're doing?" Blaise's voice pulled me out of a revere, and sent me back to reality faster than I could take, and I stumbled a little bit. He was there in a second helping me stand straight up again. "Are you all right?"

"Fine ... what is my doing?" I was a little incoherent, but I could feel myself taking in deep comforting breaths as I leaned against a wall beside me.

"Hurricane Draco, you missed him blowing through by about five minutes. He walked in, screamed something to August about leaving Pansy the hell alone. I was about to ask him what was up, when Pansy came in and screeched about where he was, and then the two stormed out fighting. It was quite a show really." Blaise seemed to be enjoying all this.

"For you maybe..." I mumbled out and started to walk forward. My head was now woozy, and I felt a bit like I was going to faint.

"Okay come on. You have to tell me this whole story. The Draco version is very one-side and has a lot of missing details." Blaise was giving me a smile that he didn't usually wear. I rolled my eyes.

"Well, remember when..." I stopped. I was really never supposed to tell anyone of my father's misfortunes with the Dark Lord, but Blaise had always been my confidant. I told him even more than I told August. Sometimes I felt bad about that, but right now I was actually kind of glad for it.

"When?" He asked confused.

"When my father had a problem of mass proportions about the thing that he got but didn't give up to the right people at the right time?" I kept my speech cryptic. People were always listening at Hogwarts, good and bad.

"Oh, then, that. Right. Go on." Blaise was expressionless as he usually was when he was absorbing details.

"Well, that got a little out of hand, and we had to go for a while, so instead of telling this to Draco and fear it might somehow find its way to his father's ears. I just ran out on him."

"Ran out on him? That's not what Draco called it."

"I'm sure." The two of us headed off to the Slytherin Common Room while I stated everything that had happened since I had returned.

* * *

Thanks to anyone who is still reading this, or to those who just joined in! I appreciate it. I hope you all like this chapter, and expect a sooner update on the next chapter. Finals are getting back to time on the computer (procrastination is key to all my stories). Till next time.


	6. Class Act

Geez, I couldn't have prolonged that anymore if I had actually been trying to. I have finally gotten home. So here it is! Be seeing the next one in a few days. Enjoy!

(This chapter is dedicated to LovingBlackParadise for giving me a bit of inspiration, and pushing me to get this chapter out. Sorry if it seems short!)

* * *

Class Act

Blaise had been waiting for me when I had come down from my dorm the next morning. It stopped me dead for a minute. I was too use to the fact that Draco would be waiting, and that Blaise would merely be there to tag along with us, when he wasn't wooing some unsuspecting student that is. The shock of seeing Blaise there made me hopeful. I glanced around him, but the Common Room seemed empty from where I was standing on the stairs.

"He's not here," Blaise said casually. His eyes never moved from the exit door.

"Right," I said flustered. I made my way down to him, and we both walked to breakfast silently. I was starting to think I may have told him too much by telling him everything

"Where's August?" He asked nonchalantly as we made our way out to the Great Hall.

"Sleeping still, she usually skips breakfast. She's not really a morning person." I rolled my eyes at the memories that played through my head then of her late arrivals to class in Third year. I was pretty sure that entire year she hadn't made it to class on time once. It must have been a record.

A few minutes later found us two entering for breakfast, and I was completely in the wrong. August was awake, and chatting up her boyfriend Maven. It was odd to watch them. She seemed too happy to be with him, and he was sitting there glaring out at the rest of the world, one arm wrapped around her possessively. I tried not to laugh, but grabbed Blaise's arm and pulled him closer to me to whisper in his ear.

"What does that remind you of?" I asked him. His gaze, which had been set on the opposite side of the room made a quick glance in August's direction, and then back again. A small hint of a smile came to his lips, but he said nothing. "That's what I thought." I added after I caught the smile.

We sat near her, and she immediately let her attention fall on me.

"Did last night work? Did you talk?" She asked way too excited for any Slytherin to be at any time of day, particularly morning.

"Oh, we talked." I said and grabbed whatever juice was sitting in the glass holder in front of me. I downed my goblet and refilled it a second time.

"And?" August pushed. I could tell she was irritated with my answer. After all, she did have to do most of the work last night to get Draco and me together. All I had to do was talk.

"It went about as well as Hagrid the Mad's hut on fire." I said sarcastically, though I had no clue what that actually meant.

"It was really entertaining until Potter came to save the bloody day and ruin the fun?" Blaise asked, speaking up, though his gaze remained elsewhere.

"Hmm… maybe that's not exactly what I meant then. It didn't go well though." I tried to not sound abysmal about the whole thing, but it was hard not to. Pregnant or not, I wanted Draco, my Draco, back and a demented pug stood in my way.

"Well, we can always try to get a second chance encounter. I had a little too much fun with Parkinson. She really does not like being a red head, and the Weasley's have a few new items I've been dying to try on someone…"

"I don't think it'll matter how many times I get myself alone with him. He seems entranced by her somehow. I don't think I could tell him the truth anyway. I don't want him to be obligated to get back with me just because I'm-" I stopped and glanced at Maven who was glaring at me, listening intently to my every word. "Now that I'm in this situation that I've found myself in. "I ended cryptically.

"Right. It's about time for classes, isn't it?" August said hopping up, and I quickly got up as well.

"Hurray. Transfiguration. "I mumbled, and followed her and Maven out the door.

Professor McGonagall had no sense of humor. It was a mere mistake that I had missed my Charms textbook (the one I'd been trying to turn into a snake) and hit Pansy with the spell that turned her skin a slight shade of green and gave her scales. I thought it was befitting, and quite a few of our year's students thought so as well. However, McGonagall had decided that a detention or two would change my mind. Apparently, my little slip up cost me four days worth. I was all a quiver with joy from the thought. At least I wouldn't have to see Pansy for the rest of the day if not the week. She'd be spending her time trying to shed her skin of the scales. Literally, that was the only way to get rid of them as far as I knew.

I was really looking forward to Potions now even if it meant having to sit behind Draco for the duration. I walked in the door and sat down with August. She was all excited as she sat next to me, and stared off dreamily at the spot next to Blaise where her first boyfriend ever sat. I tried to focus my attention away from it.

That's when an obnoxious Gryffindor entered, her perfume tinting the room instantly from the way she had bathed in it. It was terribly awful in itself, but it wasn't the worst part of it. The smell was bothering the baby as well and in turn was making me nauseas. It was all I could do to lean sideways away from August before retching on the floor. Embarrassed, ashamed, and scared that people might put two and two together, though most people in the room were Gryffindor and that bit was unlikely, I kept my head down.

"I told you those candies were from that Weasley Wizarding place," Blaise's voice came from nowhere and the next thing I knew he was helping me up from my spot on the floor. I didn't recall how I'd gotten there.

"Mr. Zabini," Professor Snape rang from his spot in front of the entry, having just enetered. "If you wouldn't mind taking our ill student up to the infirmary before she shows us the rest of the contents of her stomach." The professor's eyes were not masking his knowledge of my state of being as I walked out passed him.

"Where are we going?" I somehow managed to form the words though I could barely open my mouth from the thought of retching again.

"Hospital Wing."

"NO!" I jerked Blaise in the opposite direction. Though I said it, I wasn't sure why. Something in my mind wasn't clicking.

"Why ever not? You're disgusting right now, and a good check up is probably in order." Blaise was practically forcing me toward the Wing.

"No, Pansy." Then it clicked, the second the name was out of my mouth. "She's up there. She might over-hear. Just take me to the Dorms. I'll shower and lie down for a while. I don't need a checkup."

Blaise rolled his eyes, but started toward the Slytherin Common Room.

"I really appreciate what you did back there, by the way." I was walking now, but Blaise still kept an arm around me. He gave me a curt nod as we entered the common room.

A few minutes later, after I had showered, and was starting to feel right again, I headed down to the common room to find that Blaise had never left and was not alone.

"Malfoy?" I raised an eyebrow at the blonde headed boy. He turned in his seat, glared, and headed up to the boys' dorms. I snorted at his reaction. Could he be anymore childish, really?

"What was that about?" I asked and took Draco's seat. I was still glaring up at the boys' dorm room and missed whatever fleeting emotion came to Blaise's face in the time that it took me to remove my sight from the dorms to look at him.

"He was worried about you?" Blaise answered honestly.

"He what?"


	7. The Way

I wish I could put music on here for you guys, because the song **_Pretty Girl (The Way) by Sugarcult_** was playing over and over while I wrote this and kind of fits the feeling perfectly. So this chapter is named after that song.

And here you go. Another chapter in less than 24 hours. That should make up for such a long absence. Plus I've already started the beginning of the next chapter. Thanks again for the review **LovingBlackParadise** and I'm glad you enjoyed your dedicated chapter! And did you know you were my 13th review. Awesome!

Enjoy all!

* * *

It's the way  
That he makes you feel  
It's the way  
That he kisses you  
It's the way  
That he makes you fall in love

Pretty Girl (The Way) by Sugarcult

The Way

I stared in shock at the boy across from me. Now, Draco cared? I had practically gotten a slap in the face by him the last time we talked, and now he was worried about me? I knew I was acting ridiculous now-a-days, but I am pregnant. What was Draco's excuse?

Blaise gave a half-smile as he looked over at me.

"He thinks we are dating. That's why he is worried." Blaise was smug when he said this. It was irritatingly handsome when he was smug, but I knew better then to fall for his charms. I'd seen what he did to his girlfriends.

"How wonderful, and did you correct him?" I asked alarmed, but calming down as I thought about it.

"I didn't say yes or no. I toyed with him for a while. I owed him that for being so stupid about all this." Blaise picked at the high-backed black chairs armrest. Someone had tried to set the chair on fire once during our third year. Unfortunately, he had done it to one of the older Slytherin's favorite chairs, and found himself tethered upside down hanging out of a fourth floor window for almost two days. The chair had been fine, with the exception of the scorch mark that Blaise was now playing with.

"All of what?" I said watching his hand pick.

"Pansy, you, irritating me about being his go between, I mean really. I am not so easily swayed like Crabbe and Goyle are; I have standards. If he wants a lackey, he should look to one or both of them. I don't help others." Blaise said quickly.

"You helped me out?" I asked confused. "What's so different about Draco and me?"

"You didn't ask for my help. I have given it freely. It's a much nicer scenario." Blaise's eyes drifted away from my face as he spoke and toward the stone wall that gives entrance into the Common room. That scared me a bit. Maybe Draco had been right to ask Blaise if we were dating. He had been overly helpful lately. Actually, he'd always been overly helpful when I needed him.

"Blaise, you aren't-" but I never got to finish the sentence. The door to the Common room opened up, and August came running in to see me. Blaise took this opportunity to escape and head out for lunch.

"Are you all right? I mean all of you?" August asked, worried for me.

"You know I'm fine." I said a little bit too harshly to August. Her timing was infuriating.

"Well, lunch then!" August cooed and pulled me off the couch. I was glad that I hadn't been too far a long, or that may have hurt to get up so fast. I glanced down at the wrist that had grabbed me; something out of the corner of my eye caught my attention there.

"Why is your wrist purple?" I asked confused.

"Potion accident. Now stop stalling and come on." August lugged me through the stone doorway.

"Just keep me away from the Gryffindor table." I mumbled, and had to keep myself from tripping over my own feet as August practically skipped down the hall. Friday just needed to end all ready. "You know this whole you having a boyfriend thing is going to kill me, right?"

August just laughed.

&

Detention should be cleaning out grout or writing ridiculously long papers, not having to do the announcing at the Hufflepuff versus Slytherin Quidditch match. I was obligated to give a fair analysis of each team's plays, and would receive an extra day of detention for every pro-Slytherin or anti-Hufflepuff comment I made that was irrelevant to the game.

I tried to do a fair job at it as well. Slytherin was up 120 to 50 when I let slip a little crack on Hufflepuff.

"Seems like a good time to actually do something other than Huffing and puffing guys. Or is that why you are called Hufflepuff?" It wasn't smart, not nearly as funny as it could have been, but McGonagall bristled at the comment nonetheless and gave me an extra days worth of detention.

"If only someone would catch the stupid Snitch already and end this." I called through the system. The comment could have been directed at either of the Seekers, but no one doubted who I meant it for. I could see Draco's shiny head turn toward me when I said it. Had it not been so sunny out, he wouldn't have been so easy to spot.

"And Hufflepuff has got the Quaffle once again. Nearly missing the Bludger, but-Oh! She misses the shot on goal by that much. If her aim had been better she might have actually gotten that one in. It seems Slytherin's Keeper is not keeping a good eye on that right hoop." For some reason, I didn't seem to want Slytherin to win for once. Maybe it was because I was currently mad at the lot of them, though I had no real reason to be angry at all Slytherin's, just two of them.

"Slytherin scores again!" I yelled loudly, but just as I said it, I saw two figures diving out of the corner of my eye. "The Snitch has been spotted, and the Seekers are both in pursuit. Malfoy looks like he could have it, but he reaches too soon and misses, throwing his velocity off. He pulls up behind the other Seeker, only to leap frog him. That Nimbus 2001 is too fast for the Hufflepuff and…Does he have it? Yes! Slytherin has the Snitch and wins the game 280 to 50. And that's it folks detention over." I called and tried to get out of the score box. McGonagall grabbed my shoulder though and held me back.

"Wait." Was all she said. I crossed my arms and glared at the microphone system which I had been so desperately trying to escape. "Sit." She spoke again after a few seconds, and I plopped down on the spot that Professor Snape had been occupying before. I could see the Slytherin's congratulating each other on the pitch down below.

"I've been forewarned of your situation." My eyes went wide at McGonagall's words. Was nothing ever kept secret around here?

"Yes?" I asked her. There was obviously more to that statement, and I hated dramatic pauses.

"When exactly do you plan on letting loose the dragon?" McGonagall asked. She was sitting quite stoic for someone her age.

"Well, I'm not due until May. So I guess then." I said not totally sure I was answering correctly.

"What I meant was when you are going to let your fellow students in on your secret. It can be very stressing to have to keep this ploy, and stress is not good for the child." McGonagall was keeping something hidden in her words. I half wondered if the older woman was jealous or something. Did she have kids? I nearly shuttered at the thought. Her having kids lead to other thoughts I did not want to know.

I stood up then.

"Let them figure it out themselves. If it's so important for them to know, they can just ask me." I said snidely. I was sure the conversation was over, so I turned and walked away from the teacher, and the sight of all the Slytherin's still out on the field, especially the one that was being daunted over by all the girls. Now I knew why I didn't want Slytherin to win.

I waited on one of the staircases for McGonagall to go past, and for the roar of victory to clear out of the field before heading down and out of the Quidditch Pitch. I needed some time alone for once. Plus I didn't want anyone to see the tears that had suddenly sprung from my eyes.

I walked around the grounds for a few minutes trying to let the tears clear up, not quite leaving the shadow of the Quidditch Pitch, but far enough that I couldn't hear any stragglers who might still be yelling the victory as they went. Slytherin's aren't prone to celebrating victories in one singular spot, like the dorm room. They had a tendency to run around the whole castle "flying their flags" and shouting as loud as they could. Sure some of them would get caught and punished, but seven years worth of students is a lot and most were sly enough to not get caught. They were also the only House at Hogwarts brave enough to do cheers around the school. It would be an ugly sight to see one of the other Houses try it when they beat Slytherin. That could only end badly.

A sliver of blonde caught my attention then, and I watched as Draco took his time to leave the Pitch, the majority of his team went out ahead of him looking disgruntled instead of excited from their win.

"What in the world did you say to them?" I asked out loud. I realized too late that I probably should have kept my mouth shut. Then, I wondered somewhere in the back of my mind if I looked like I had been crying.

"What they needed to hear." Draco grumbled out.

"Way to rally the team after your triumph." I scoffed.

"They were terrible out there, and needed to know that it wasn't an easy win." Draco reprimanded me like I was one of his players. "And your one to talk."

"Me? What about me?"

"You've got a lot of nerve helping out the other team." Draco spat at me. I gritted my teeth, holding in the words that I wanted to say. Instead, I stopped and controlled my thoughts, thinking them over first.

"You won 280 to 50, a little help wasn't going to do much for them anyway." I said as calmly as I could.

"Huh, looks like time away has made you soft." Draco said turning his back on me. I walked up to him and spun him around.

"You're one to talk, you foul git. You-" Then he kissed me, and not softly either, but the kind of kiss he use to give me when he would catch me off-guard coming out of the classroom.

"I'm sorry." I said when we were finally able to separate. And I was truly sorry too, but not for the reason he or I might have thought. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Humph?" He asked, his eyes close and his mouth still kissing my cheek.

"Isn't Pansy going to kill you for this?" I asked, though the words weren't exactly easy to say. I didn't want him to stop.

"I don't think she'll mind," He said, and I laughed.

"Why is that?" I asked content.

"She just broke up with me for giving other girls too much attention. Figures." Draco's mouth moved to capture mine again, but I backed away.

"That's what this is about." I said. The obvious now donning on me. I should have known better than that.

"About what?" He asked, not understanding my reaction.

"Pansy breaks up with you, and you think that you can just shrug your shoulders and come back to me?" I asked hating every word. What was wrong with that? It's what I wanted, wasn't it? Isn't it?

I took a deep sigh and another step backwards.

"I'm not going to be the new Pansy in your life. I don't date guys who are only using me." I said and walked away. I wasn't sure how Draco reacted. I kept my back to him as I headed for the castle.

What was I doing? This was perfect. He wasn't with Pansy anymore. He and I could get back together, but we weren't going to get back together just because he has issues with being single. He needed to realize that he was only with Pansy in the first place, because he was using her to fill in my absence. Now that he had the hole again, I wasn't just going to jump in and fill it. I am pregnant with his child, and that fact or the fact that he had just broken up with his girlfriend wasn't good enough. He had to show me that he loved me, and not just that he wanted me.

When did life get so complicated?


	8. Bruised Ego

Wow. This took waaay too long to get out. To think you poor reviewers had to wait 2 months for this. Well, I hope the chapter is to your liking.

* * *

_Shadows all around you as you surface from the dark  
Emerging from the gentle grip of night's unfolding arms  
Darkness, darkness everywhere, do you feel all alone?  
The subtle grace of gravity, the heavy weight of stone_

_You Are The Moon by The Hush Sound_

Chapter 9: Bruised Ego

For three and a half weeks I ignored both Draco and Blaise. Blaise had been acting more and more protective now that Draco was available, and it was getting on my nerves. He and Draco had become friends once again, and had started to spend a lot of time together around school. I was starting to think that Blaise had switched sides on me. That wasn't a good sign. Blaise usually sided with the people whom he thought were being the less stupid of the two. That didn't say much about me. So, I ignored them both as much as I could.

Luckily, August had no problem with spending lots of time with me, which was odd considering her usual attention to her boyfriend had gone down from it. When I had brought this up, she merely gave a nervous laugh and said "Maven understands. He's good like that."

Each morning since the Quidditch match, the three of us would walk to breakfast and class together. I had to admit that Maven's presence was kind of terrifying. He had a way of making chills run up my spine at his sight. I wasn't sure if I liked the fact that August and him were dating.

August and I were doing homework one evening (I had actually been able to go to classes recently since my morning sickness seemed to have disappeared), when I noticed something off.

"If I get another Poor on my next Transfiguration paper, my dad is going to murder me." I said glancing down at the textbook in front of me. This stuff use to come so natural, and now I had to actually study to keep up with everyone else. It was infuriating.

"You're still doing well in everything else. I'm sure it's not that big of a deal." August said a little aloof. She turned toward me, and I saw that her left side was all purple. "Besides McGonagall purposely gives us lower marks, Slytherin is ahead for the house cup. It always makes her irate."

"What happened to your cheek, and your shoulder?" I asked sitting up quickly, though I had noticed that I was now waddling when I walked and doing anything quickly was becoming harder to do. May was getting closer.

"Oh, I had a little accident is all?" August said and shrugged, which actually hurt her shoulder more. Her voice however hid something.

"You seemed to be getting clumsier as of late." I said not sure what I was to make of this information. She just shook her head at me.

"Has Draco asked you out again? You seem annoyed." It was a subject change I didn't miss.

"Yes, he tries to every time I go anywhere." I tried not to think about that. I was not going to crumble so easily.

"I don't know why you don't just say yes and then throw it in his face that you're pregnant with his kid. I mean the rumors about your stomach growing massively are everywhere. I don't know how he misses it." August sat back down on her bed.

"Neither do I." I mumbled and got up to leave. "I need a break from... homework."

I didn't even look at Draco as I walked into the Common room. He and Blaise were sitting on the same high-backed chairs they always did. They were both there more and more often now. Draco stood, but I cut him off.

"No." I said, and walked out of the room. Someone followed me out anyway. I stopped and turned. "Look I just want five minutes alone for once without having to worry that you are going to pop out of nowhere and ask me out, so leave me alone for once." I stopped. It wasn't Draco, it was Blaise.

"Not who you were expecting?" he asked with a smirk. No, it wasn't.

"What do you want?" I asked a little more nicely than I had spoken before.

"Hang out with me this Saturday. We haven't in a while, and it's a Hogsmeade weekend." I knew it was, and I still didn't want to go. It was a long walk and I was enjoying the laziness of being pregnant. I couldn't seem to find a reason not to though. I did miss hanging out with Blaise. I missed telling him things and being able to ask his opinion. He could behave for one day, I'm sure of it.

"Just you?" I asked.

"Draco is not invited, if that's what you're getting at." Blaise shook his head when he said this.

"Fine."

"Good."

Somehow that ended the conversation.

&

Friday was weird, neither August nor Maven showed up to breakfast forcing me to sit with Draco and Blaise "As friends" I forewarned them both before sitting down, "and nothing more." They both seemed to agree to this. It was very weird to sit across from them both in silences. I would have broken it, but I couldn't think of anything to say. I looked away from them both trying not to make such a big deal out of how much I was eating while sitting there. I could see Blaise eyeing me warily from the corner of my eye. I ignored him.

Then I saw Pansy glaring at me from the other end of the table.

"So, how did you all sleep?" I had no idea where the question came from, but I knew why I'd said it. I'd be damned to let Pansy think that she has put any tension between Draco and me.

"Well?" Blaise said in his annoyingly quizzing way.

"Terribly." Draco answered. His tone was just as somber.

"Well, I didn't. One day of classes left and then a weekend, a Hogsmeade weekend even." I tried to sound happier then I really was. It was spring, and everyone else seemed to be enjoying themselves, with the exception of everyone at the Slytherin table. It wasn't right.

"I've no one to go with." Draco said.

"Oh come on Draco, I'm sure if you pluck up the courage and ask; someone will go with you." I said, and then realized what I _had_ said. He turned to me, a smirk on his face as if to say "Really? Well if that's the case."

I spoke again before he could ask.

"I'm sure Vincent and Greg will go with you. They look very non-used lately." I said, and the two bodyguards turned toward us.

Blaise laughed.

"Crisis Averted." He said and clapped Draco on the back. He stood and made a gesture that seemed to say: "Well, its class time."

I nodded and got up as well. Draco didn't seem to budge from his seat. I sighed and turned back to him.

"How about if you meet up with us?" I gestured between Blaise and me. Draco furrowed his brow.

"You two are going tomorrow?"

I stopped, and glanced at Blaise who wasn't wearing any emotion on his darkened features. I tried to think of something to say to Draco that wouldn't hurt Blaise's feelings or Draco's, but nothing was coming to mind. I gave Blaise a look of complete loss, hoping he would jump in.

"She owes me a drink, and we were going to go to the Three Broomsticks tomorrow." Blaise said reluctantly. "Thank you" I mouthed to Blaise, whose eyes never left me as he spoke. Draco glanced back and forth between us, and then stood up.

"Maybe I will join." He said and left it at that. I rolled my eyes and followed them both out to class.

&

I trudged with Blaise to Hogsmeade where we walked for a long while. I gave him the breakdown of what I had seen recently with August and Maven. He did not seem happy about it. Especially since August had not come back to the dorm room last night.

Blaise didn't let the conversation die after I mentioned this, he quickly changed the subject to a new obsession he had with another girl.

"How long has this been going on?" I asked, amused at his ability to seem so unlike his normal regal self.

"I'm not sure, really. For a while now, but she has been unavailable." Blaise cut himself short there.

"Why?" I wondered.

"She's with someone else currently." He answered too quickly. People passed us as we took our time getting to Hogsmeade. We were in no rush to meet up with Draco, if he was even there yet.

I snorted. Blaise had probably been seen with half the Slytherin girls young and old. He was even rumored to have made out with a Ravenclaw boy once. I'd never tell anyone that the rumor was true; I'd been safeguarded with the information. Plus, Blaise was only trying to prove a point that bravery wasn't just a Gryffindor trait. I'm still not sure who won the bet.

Just then, Neville Longbottom shuffled past us. I had to admit the boy had changed. If I hadn't seen his face and the Gryffindor scarf, I wouldn't have recognized him from behind. He was becoming quite the man.

I stopped and cringed. There was definitely something wrong with my brain. I was actually considering Longbottom and I being an item. I decided not to let Blaise in on that train of thought.

"When has that ever stopped you before?" I asked trying to remember where my thoughts started to turn.

"I don't want to ruin her happiness, or her chance at it, even if it's not with me."

That made me stop.

"Blaise?" I questioned.

"Yeah?" He turned and stopped as well.

"Blaise Zabini?" I asked further. He gave me a look that clearly questioned my sanity, and I gave one to him in return.

"You actually love this girl? My word, I'd never thought I'd see the day. Are you going to start spouting poetry and run through the roses? Or…wait; she is a Slytherin, right?" Blaise nodded and continued walking. I wiped my brow with a whistle.

"So, who is it?"

"I'm not telling," Blaise turned his nose up as he walked.

"What? That's not fair. I tell you everything!" And I do too, aside from the Longbottom thing; Blaise knows every secret I have.

"Well, maybe you shouldn't be so trusting." He answered coolly. It made me want to punch him.

When we finally got to the Three Broomsticks we were laughing. A Hufflepuff had gotten caught on a loose strand of carriage rope and had been dragged through the majority of the town on his ass. Hogsmeade was brighter than normal, and it put everyone in high spirits in the town. People seemed to be playing jokes on everyone in the celebration of the one day holiday, April fool's day. I took a seat in one of the booths, having not spotted Draco anywhere inside and Blaise got us drinks. A Slytherin brother and sister who we knew stopped at our table to chat before heading out to Zonko's. The sister, who was the younger of the two and not in our year, gave me a questioning look as she waved goodbye. Her eyes never left my stomach.

I sighed after noticing that my stomach seemed to have many pairs of eyes on it recently. In fact, thinking about it now, I think even Longbottom had notice. Well, it was about time everyone figured it out. The big bulky cloaks I was wearing to hide my bump were starting to get too warm to wear out. I tried not to think of how people would react when the cat was out of the cauldron.

We'd just gotten the table to ourselves again, when Draco came through the door with Pansy. My face went white as a ghost. Hadn't they broken up? I looked away from the two, noting how they had merely been standing together. Their hands hadn't been touching, or any part of them for that matter, but my stomach still kicked.

Then I realized that my stomach was literally kicking. I prayed it wasn't noticeable.

Blaise spoke first.

"Pansy, Draco." He said. The names oozed from his mouth like acid. I glanced at him in shock, usually he kept very calm, and he was never one to make a scene. My eyes shot wide open as I gave him a double-take. Please let me not be right. Please tell me he wasn't going to make a scene. This wasn't going to end well and I was too knackered from walking for much action.

"I'll get our drinks." Pansy said and stepped away from the booth.

"All right?" Draco asked Blaise, he didn't even try to sit down with us.

"So the whole 'Pansy isn't worth my time' was a lie?" Blaise said out of the blue. I didn't seem to be the only one shocked to hear it.

"As was your vow that you two were just friends?" Draco accused. Blaise rolled his eyes, and I furrowed my brow. What?

"Oh yes, Armani and I are together like poor on a Weasley. The perfect match." Blaise laughed and threw an arm around me, lifting me off the booth, and on to his lap. I shifted furiously trying to cover myself and get off of him at the same time. It was very hard to attempt both with his arm so strongly around me. I sucked in a breath as my stomach narrowly missed hitting the edge of the table. "Careful." I murmured to Blaise.

"I knew it. I knew you two had been an item since she turned me down after the match." He turned to me then, disgust written all over his face. "How long did it take him to sleep with you? A week? Few days? Can't imagine you'd play hard to get after the way you've been throwing yourself around." I cringed at his words, the baby kicking harder. This was too much to take, everyone needed to calm down. I needed to calm down.

"Unfortunately, we couldn't." Blaise protested. His voice not rising any higher than it had been before. I looked at him then, time was slowing down. His words were leading in a bad territory. One I didn't want to enter. Not today, not if I could help it, but it was like I couldn't stop him. My mouth was too dry to even give him a warning. I tried to beg him with my eyes not to go further. "Not after the third trimester and all; what with her being pregnant with your kid."

It wasn't possible. I'd imagined it, but the more I tried to tell myself that, the more I realized what he had said. I had to correct this, had to say something.

"April fool's." I tried to laugh, but not as whole-heartedly as I wanted to. It didn't matter, it was too late. Draco was already putting two and two together as his focus fell on my stomach, the one peeking out from under my cloak. My cloak that was too warm for the sun now shining through the clouds outside.

The crash of two glasses pulled everyone back to reality and out of the stupor as Pansy, who undoubtedly heard everything, also had figured out what that meant, though her face still showed confusion.

I couldn't stand the stares, the ones I had imagined on other people's faces not five minutes ago. I couldn't even stand the fact that Blaise had broken his promise. I wanted to cry or scream or faint, but I couldn't. So I did the only logical thing I could come up with, the one thing I always did. I ran.

I couldn't go as fast as I use to, but I got a good amount of distance between the Three Broomsticks and myself.

"Armaniska," I heard Draco's voice following me, but I didn't stop. Even as I made my way out of Hogsmeade I knew I wouldn't make it to the castle. I slowed to a walk, and Draco caught up. I felt the baby move, and kick again. It made stars appear before my eyes.

"Stop," he called, which was a bit redundant, as I had practically done so already, I couldn't really move much more then I was. My breath was labored, and I could feel tears stinging my cheeks.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Draco's was far away, which made no sense, as the image of him I was seeing was right in front of my face.

"I…" But I couldn't explain, couldn't answer. I was having trouble breathing.

Then, I fainted.


	9. Blaised

Chapter 9: Blaised

Maybe its a sign of weakness  
When I dont know what to say  
Maybe I just wouldnt know  
What to do with my strength anyway  
Have we become a habit  
Do we distort the facts  
Now theres no looking forward  
Now theres no turning back  
When you say

_We Belong By Pat Benatar_

Blaise was not having a good day. Today was supposed to be a fun little trip to Hogsmeade with Armani, alone. She had been basically ignoring him for weeks now, and she really had little excuse to do so. He had always been friends with people Armani didn't necessarily speak with, like Pansy for instance. So for her to stay so far away from him because he was on speaking terms with Draco was odd, and very disappointing.

He would never admit this to anyone, not even if he was tortured, but he enjoyed Armani's company. She was always interested in what he had to say, understanding, always took his advice, and could even tell that Armani needed him in a way. He was always attracted to girls whom had no self preservation. His only problem was that she needed Draco more than him, which made absolute sense. He had kindly brushed off his feelings for her, and they had remained close friends ever since. To this day, he saw Armaniska Kensington as a little sister, even though she was technically two months older than him. He was even surprised to find that Draco, who seemed to need Armani just as much as she needed him, had easily let go of Armani (about a month after she left) for Pansy Parkinson.

He had nothing against Parkinson. They were both friends, but that was about as far as it went. Pansy was a little too self-involved for his tastes, and she tended to leak any rumor she heard, merely because she could. Sometimes, those rumors would include him. She was a bit two-faced.

So when Armani had returned after Winter Holiday's, Blaise was very surprised to see that Draco was still with Pansy. He had assumed that Draco would have dropped Pansy like a hat for Armani.

For as long as Blaise could remember, Draco had been a bit of a toss pot. He had a way of making stupid moves and blaming the end result on other people. Blaise and Draco normally got on pretty well together, but never had he ever thought he would one day side with Draco. Back in September, on the very day that Armani had gotten the letter from her father that he would be at Hogwarts at half past nine to pick her up and go into hiding, Blaise had run into Armani leaving the Headmaster's office.

She'd confided in him, like she always had, while practically running to the Slytherin common room. Blaise thought it was stupid of her to even consider her father's plan. Running from the Dark Lord? He was insane to think he could! Plus, she had a much better chance of surviving by staying at Hogwarts, with Draco. She would be protected by her comradeship with the Malfoy family, but she wasn't sure she would be. Blaise had fought with her for the first time in the history of their friendship. And for once, she didn't listen to him. It was disheartening and he rarely ever thought about it now that it was over, but sometimes it would creep up on him. It was weird to think that even then she had been pregnant, and he hadn't even known, not that he could have known. She hadn't known herself after all.

It had been a nice return to normal to have Armani back in the school, and to see a smile on August's face the last few months, even if Armani had been ignoring him for a few weeks.

Somehow, Blaise had convinced Armani to join him at Hogsmeade, and he wasn't too put off by Draco joining them at the Three Broomsticks. It still gave him time alone with Armani after all. She'd seemed really happy for once as they walked, which was not something Armani had been since returning to Hogwarts. She had not guessed who his new obsession was, which should have seemed obvious to her. Wasn't he always asking, or checking up on her best friend enough for her to notice? He seemed to think he was asking quite a lot, but then again, Armani was a bit distracted momentarily by other situations. It was easy to see why she hadn't been able to guess who it was.

Then, they had gotten to the Three Broomsticks. All was fine, today seemed like it was going to be really relaxing, but Draco had to be a sod and ruin everything. What could have possibly possessed him to bring Pansy along? He knew Armani and Pansy were not friends, as much as we had tried to get them to be. It never worked.

He snapped. He, Blaise Zabini, had been known for his discretion and calm manner of being, had snapped. He knew that he was going to break a promise to Armani, but he couldn't let Draco play stupid childish games with her while she was in her position. He also found something fun about seeing the way Draco's eyes seemed to betray his real hurt when he had claimed Armani as his girlfriend. Of course, Blaise had to also add that she was pregnant, especially when Draco had practically called her a whore. He was surprised when she had bolted for the door. She had been winning the fight after all, or at least, Draco was losing. Then Draco had followed, so Blaise went after them both, knowing that a running pregnant woman never ended well. He was not surprised to see her passed out when he found them both.

They both carried Armani up to the Hospital Wing.

"Merlin, another student?" asked Madame Pomfrey as they brought Armani in. "Well, place her in the bed next to the other Slytherin girl."

"The other Slytherin girl?" Blaise asked as he placed Armani on the bed.

Draco started to take her shoes off, while Blaise was suddenly distracted as he glanced down at the Slytherin girl looking bruised and pale lying curled up in a ball in her sheets. "August." He said a bit breathlessly.

"Poor girl was found last night outside the library. No one knows how she got hurt, or who she was with when it happened." Madame Pomfrey said bustling around Armani. She started mumbling about conditions at Hogwarts, but abruptly stopped when she recognized Armani.

"What happened to her?" Pomfrey was asking now, a bit suspicious of the boys and of having not one, but two Slytherin girls out cold in her wing.

"She'd been a bit stressed out," Blaise said glaring at Draco. "She had given up on listening to us yell at each other, and ran from the Three Broomsticks. Not very good for her considering…"

All three of them finished the sentence. "She's pregnant."

"Well, not to worry. She should be fine. You two better leave so I can get her something. She needs the rest, however."

Blaise kept himself in check, and forced himself not to take August's hand, but instead to walk out of the Hospital Wing.

He had a pretty good idea at how August ended up knocked out outside of the library. She had been with Maven last night, he was sure of it, and he was going to have a word with the boy.

He'd believed August's lies about her bruises for too long. He knew she was not a clumsy person, he should have known better, but at least he knew how to correct it all.

A few hours later found Blaise heading back toward the Hospital Wing, where he would visit with Draco whenever he could, looking like a good best friend should, but really worrying about the girl in the bed opposite her.

&

I didn't open up my eyes. I knew I was awake, but it was too bright in the room for me to even consider opening my eyes. I just wanted to go back to sleep and let the bright room disappear; unfortunately I couldn't seem to fall back asleep. I sighed and tried to put my arms under my head. For some reason, I couldn't move my right arm though. I sneaked one eye open and saw a flash of bright blonde hair. I sighed again.

I would give anything not to have to answer any questions right now. My stomach felt nauseous, and my back was killing me, but I could take both if it meant that Draco wouldn't say a word.

"Armani." A voice called.

"Oh great." I thought and opened my eyes to find that Draco's head was planted in his arms, and that his voice was not the one that had called my name.

"Blaise?" I asked, but had to turn my head in the other direction. Blaise made a hand gesture that asked for silence as he lifted the hand he was holding. I looked to see who it belonged to, and recognized August's straightened black hair. I frowned, and wondered what August was doing there.

I tried to recall all that I remembered. I got to the point where I had fainted, but couldn't recollect anything about August. "Gee, I am such a great friend." I reflected.

"What happened?" I asked timidly.

"You fainted." Blaise answered shortly.

"I got that much." I said and gestured to August.

"Let's just say, she isn't with Maven anymore." Blaise's eyes gleamed with hatred, and I felt the need to back off.

My mind clicked to the conversation we had before Hogsmeade.

"Another Slytherin girl, eh?" I said with a smug tone. Blaise rolled his eyes for the second time since I had met him.

"Who did you think it was?" Blaise asked coyly, and I stifled a laugh.

"Would you believe I thought it was me?" I said, knowing how conceded I sounded.

"I would." Blaise answered. "At one point it was."

I furrowed my brow.

"When?" I said a little too loudly. Draco's head lifted off the cot. He looked completely drained.

"Morning," I said softly and noted how Blaise moved the hanging sheet between the beds so I could no longer see him or August.

"You're awake." Draco said drowsily.

"Back at you." I smiled. Draco returned it, and I had a moment of memory. That smile, that morning filled smile I had seen once before back at his house last summer. Somehow, I had gotten to see it again.

"You're pregnant." He mumbled.

"And it's half your fault." I replied. I wondered if he thought he had dreamt it all.

"So, I hadn't dreamt it all."

Sometimes I had to wonder if I was really thinking this stuff, or hearing others thoughts.

"No, unfortunately in a month you will have a son." I said and blanched. I had meant to keep that part a secret, I didn't even tell Blaise. I could only imagine him smirking behind the separating sheet.


End file.
